


Bad Night

by GYT_34



Category: ITZY (Band)
Genre: AU, F/F, Lia - Freeform, YejixLia, alternative universe, fluffly, girlxgirl, icy, itzy - Freeform, yeji, yejisu
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-30
Updated: 2019-09-24
Packaged: 2020-07-27 09:43:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,576
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20043916
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GYT_34/pseuds/GYT_34
Summary: Lia was having a terrible month, her prom being one of the worst days of her life making it even worse.But Yeji showed up to save her day.Inspired by Itzy's clip 'Icy'.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know what's going on so I can't open the chapters numbers, but this is just the first chapter.

Lia wasn't really having a good day, maybe could said even a bad month, but that day was even worse. She was supposed to be at the school’s prom, in her slow dance that she had been waiting for all year, but she was there in a 24-hour diner, with her broken heels and cell phone discharged, nothing could get worse unless she had forgotten her credit card at home and her money had been spent on the taxi, so she had no money even to pay the coke in front of her.

She was already considering a plan to make the boy who had served her to lend his cell phone, so she could call her mom to come get her, finishing her big night with a gold key, when the diner door opened. It wasn’t a busy night, with just her and two other customers, so every time the door opened it get someone's attention.

"Hi, I have an order to deliver to the diner, could you check and sign the paper for me?" The girl who came in said.

Lia noticed her, placing a box on the counter as she spread a paper to the boy behind it. She was pretty, pretty enough that Lia couldn't take her eyes off her, at least until the girl looked at her too.

"Bad night?" The girl asked approaching a little, the paper was back in her hand and the box being carried by the boy.

“Bad month” made sure her eyes stayed on the soda cup in front of her.

"Prom? Mine is tomorrow, and I plan to stay away from it” The girl pulled her cell phone out of her pocket and checked something before turning her attention back to Lia. “Is there anything I could do to help you with?”.

“Actually, yes, I have no cell phone and no money, could you lend me yours? Just for me to call my mom or something?”

The girl smiled at her, Lia melted for a few seconds. She motioned for her to stay in the same place before leaving the diner, it wasn't like Lia had any choice, but after a few minutes without the girl coming back she was already thinking that someone had left her waiting again, she sighed ready to admit defeat and ask the boy at the counter for help when the girl came in again.

"Sorry for the delay, I was looking for this" The girl smiled, Lia wanted to hug her at that moment, but chose to take her eyes to the pair of sneakers that the girl raised "I always leave an extra pair in the car, you never know what you're going to step in when you're delivering things in this city”.

Since Lia wouldn't do anything, the girl sat in front of her at the table, leaving her sneakers on the floor between them. Then she pulled something out of her pants pocket and let it slip toward Lia, who almost cried when she saw that it was a portable charger, which when plugged in her unloaded appeared the symbol of ‘charging’.

“You want to order something?” The guy at the counter was back at the table.

“I think a hamburger with fries would be good, you look hungry, what do you want?” Lia just noticed that the attention was on her when they both looked at her for an answer, was too entertained with the sign of hope that her life was showing "I think she'll want the same, and two strawberry milkshake".

"Are you some kind of angel?" Lia asked when the boy was gone.

"No, but you can call me Yeji".

"I'm Lia, you came out of nowhere, with everything I needed".

"That's not all you need, I just saw that you needed help, you may not have noticed, but you were crying when I came in, and someone as beautiful as you shouldn't be sad on a night with so many stars".

Lia really wanted to answer, but it felt like nothing about her was working as it should, so she just focused on the phone in her hand. She ran her fingers through the contacts, her mother's number was there, but she kept going down until she found Yuna's name.

There were already some messages waiting for her, they were saying she knew what had happened and asking where she was. Lia sighed, of course the gossip was already spread at this point, she just replied that everything was fine quickly, then seeing the 3 dots demonstrating that the girl was already answering.

"Any problem?" Yeji asked, catching the girl's attention.

"High school gossips are pretty fast".

“Care to talk about what happened? If you tell me it won't be a gossip”.

"I just had a bad experience, long story, I was hoping that tonight would save my high school finale, but it was only the last shovel in my situation".

“The night is not over yet, your high school may be so, maybe you can see that this was your bad phase, and from now your adulthood phase begins, don't you think it deserves a good start? I think I can help you”.

Lia was saved when the boy came back, placing her orders on the table, his eyes resting a little too much on her. She didn't pay much attention, too concerned to send a quick message to Yuna:

_"I'm in a diner with a beautiful girl, I think she's flirting with me."_

It took a few seconds for Yuna to respond:

_‘Flirt back, and send me a picture of her’._

When Lia turned her attention to Yeji the girl was busy with the ketchup bottles.

“Am I disturbing you today? I don't know, with the deliveries or something”.

“This was my last delivery of the day, I think fate really wants us to save your special night” Yeji smiled at her.

"Then let’s do it”.


	2. Not a slow dance, but a slow dance

Lia really didn't know how she had gotten into this situation: in a complete stranger's truck, but it gave her a strange sense of comfort. Maybe it was the smile the girl behind the wheel gave her, or how many times she asked if she was all right and if she could do anything that made her feel even better. Even so, she can't miss the other boxes arranged in the back bucket.

"Where are we going?" Lia asked looking out the window, she could still recognize the buildings outside.

"Dance, isn't that what you were going to do at the ball?".

"It's not just dancing, it was the whole occasion".

"Care to explain?".

Lia sighed, they had stopped at a red light, so there was no alternative for her to escape the look that Yeji put on her. She tried to look at the phone on her lap, which was still charging, but Yuna's messages found her, saying that she better enjoy the opportunity after receiving Yeji’s picute, which she had taken hidden while the girl was entertained with the milkshake.

"My boyfriend ... Or ex ... I don't even know what was going on with this relationship anymore, it was supposed to have gone to the prom with me, I mean, I expected him to show up there, we were planning it for two months, but I think I was very naive, I should have seen the signs, he had not been answering my messages, hadn’t taken me and picked me up from school let alone showed up at my house on my parents' wedding anniversary” Lia's eyes just stared straight ahead as the car moved again, this time to an area she didn't know very well.

"He didn’t say anything?".

"No, I think we broke up for real, maybe it was my fault, things changed when I got the college letters".

“Oh, so will you go for one further? Or he's already in college and didn't like the idea of you going for a different one?”.

“It's not like I had a choice about it, we studied together, we started dating late last year, we had plans to go to the same college, but I was denied, he came in with a sports scholarship and everything".

“Yeah, things always seem to be going around college when we're in high school, it gets even worse when it is the last year, but you know a college doesn't define you, right? I'm sure your ex-boyfriend is the one who's losing by letting you go for something like this” Yeji reached for the girl, her fingers tangling with Lia's.

Yeji's hand was cold, but even so Lia held her close to her, the feeling of comfort was still there. Even though the cold feeling was a little unpleasant, Lia still held her hand firmly, which took both girls in the car by surprise.

Yeji took this as a sign that the girl needed some comfort, so she left her hand in the same spot, squeezing sometimes just to show that everything was fine.

“And your prom? Why will you not go?” Lia asked when they stopped again at another red light, this time she didn't recognize the buildings outside.

“My ex-girlfriend broke up with me last month, now I just see no reason or company to go,” The car stopped, this time in a parking space in front of a large building “We're here, it's a little underground party, but I can guarantee it's better than your prom”.

Yeji's hands were no longer clasped in Lia's, and the loud sound from the large building filled almost all the silence. Mostly, because the word 'ex-girlfriend' still circled Lia's head, it meant that Yeji liked girls and was single, and for some reason that made Lia's heart beat faster.

"This should be an unfamiliar party, so if the police appear, we'll have to run a little" Lia explained as they entered the building, the music even louder, if they continued like this it wouldn't be a surprise if the police actually showed up there “I'm glad I gave you the shoes” Yeji smiled at her.

Yeji then pulled the girl's hand again, this time to show the way to the center of the party. Her hand was warm now.

It was a strange building, the wall paintings were falling, and there was a strange smell in the bar. Lia was already rethinking the whole story of trusting a stranger, even if the stranger made her heart race from time to time, like now, that she deeply thanked the loud music for not letting Yeji hear that.

"I know this isn't the prom you expect, but ..." Lia could feel the nervousness in Yeji's voice "we don't have to hang around if you don't want to".

In fact, the girl seemed a little more nervous when they arrived at the center of the party, as if she had regretted taking the girl there. Only a few lights illuminated the place, and the colors changing every two seconds, illuminating hundreds of people dancing around, the smell of alcohol getting stronger every time you got deeper in the crowd.

“It's okay, I just want to dance” Lia was pretty sure the girl hadn't heard what she said, so she just squeezed Yeji's hand before pulling the girl further in the crown.

She didn't know the song that was playing, couldn't even identify if she really tried, it just seemed like a blur of sound. But Yeji was in front of her, a nervous smile on her face, as if she was still ashamed to bring her there. Lia didn't care about the state of the place, just that the girl in front of her had skipped the rest of her work just to make her night better.

Lia really was going crazy going deep into that stranger.

She didn't really care, so she pulled her close enough that the girl could hear her.

"Dance with me".

Lia kept her close, a mixture of not wanting to be alone in such an environment and the desire to make Yeji feel safer with her choice. Yeji didn't want it any other way either.

Except that Lia's sanity was damaged by this situation. Yeji was too close, and dancing so that she made Lia's heart race even faster, and Lia had a hard time keeping her eyes at the right place when it seemed so inviting to let them wander the girl's body.

Then Yeji pulled her closer, Lia thanked her for that, the scent she could smell on the girl's neck made the scent of drink fade into the background. And the hands that now circled her waist made her melt.

"I'm sorry for the lack of slow slow music, I think that's what you wanted" Yeji said in her ear, Lia hoped the girl didn't see the shiver that circled her body.

"You've been apologizing since we got here, don't worry, you've been so kind to me, you are beating my long-awaited slow dance".

Lia just noticed that they were so close when she pulled back to look at the girl, too close for her to notice Yeji's dilated pupils, and the tightening of her hands on her waist tightening. She didn't know when they had stopped dancing, but after some people bumped into them she realized it must have been for a while.

Yeji jumped back when she realized what was happening, Lia instantly missed the warmth the girl was bringing, and the girl's scent really seemed to make a difference when she was away. But a smile formed on her face when she could see with difficulty a pink rise to the girl's cheeks, which now seemed to look for something in her pocket.

“What if we do like this?” Yeji was back near her, but this time at a bigger distance.

She pulled something out of her pocket and offered Lia a earphone, after it was accepted she pulled something else out of her pocket, cell phone. While Lia put on the headphones, Yeji was busy looking at something on the phone until it started to work.

The music from the earphone competed directly with the noise around them, Lia had to concentrate to understand the music coming out of the headset. She reached for Yeji pulling her close, put one side to the girl.

“You won't hear the music right if we share it” Yeji said, arms again going around Lia's waist.

"You need to stop doing this, it’s fine, enjoy the moment with me".

Lia pulled her even closer, she smiled when she felt the heat return and again the scent of Yeji hit her. Yeji seemed to finally relax with that, an equal smile forming on her face.

Lia wanted to say something, but gave up on all attempts, Yeji probably wouldn't listen to her anyway, so she just accepted the dance with the silence between them and the deafening noise around her.

"Hey, I didn't know you'd come, but I think you'd better go, they tell me there's a police car three blocks from here" A girl appeared, cutting the contact between them.

Yeji took off the earphone she was using, but still kept Lia close, her hand searching for instinct for the other, as their fingers intertwined, the other girl seemed to notice what was happening in front of her. The pink-haired girl smiled at both of them.

“You finally got a date,” she said to Yeji, “she's pretty.” She moved a little closer to say that, as if to demonstrate that it was only for Yeji to listen, but not putting in much effort not to let Lia listen, Lia smiled the same way.

“Thanks for the info, but you can stop the rest.” Yeji made room for them to pass through the crowd again, handshake still firm.

“I'm Ryujin, how did you meet Yeji? Lately she just called work and school. ”Ryujin, the pink-haired girl, had followed them into the empty hallway again, the volume making the opposite way and slowing down.

“Thanks for the info, but you can stop the rest.” Yeji made room for them to pass through the crowd again, hands still firm together.

“I'm Ryujin, how did you meet Yeji? Lately she just goes to work and school” Ryujin, the pink-haired girl, had followed them into the empty hallway again, the volume making the opposite direction and decreasing.

“I think at work, she was delivering” Lia took the lead to respond, since Yeji was a mess right now, she could thank Ryujin for that, the image of a shy Yeji with rosy cheeks and slightly lost look was her favorite image of the night.

"What? Now you find beautiful people at work? The last time I accompanied you at work we only met middle-aged men who had a big problem with their lack of education” Yeji continued to ignore Ryujin until they left the building.

They could see some police cars lights coming down the street, Yeji clung to the excuse that she needed to get them both out before the police were too close to ignore Ryujin's questions, but still listened to their conversation. Lia seemed invested in answering all the questions Ryujin asked, and Ryujin seemed well invested in asking all the questions in her head without thinking twice.

"You should leave too, I don't think you should meet the police like the last time" Yeji finally said opening the passenger door for Lia to get in.

"It really seems to be kicking me out of your date," The smile on Ryujin's face showed that she knew exactly what she was doing "Lia, are you kicking me out too?"

"No" Lia smiled at her.

“Shouldn't you be with your girlfriend? It's Friday" Yeji cut them.

"Girlfriend? You should say that to her, I don't think she knows this term” Ryujin rolled her eyes and turned to Lia “about you, don't let Yeji hide you around, will be nice to see you again and make Yeji blush”.

Before Lia could say anything to the girl the party's music was over, people started hurrying out and she could hear the police coming. Yeji was faster than that and they were soon leaving.

“I think you're really unlucky today, first your prom and now the dance is being stopped” Yeji commented after they were already far from the mess.

"But I enjoyed the dance, thanks for the night".

"We're not done yet, there's another place where I want to show you, no police this time".

Along the way there was something in Yeji's mind that was still spinning, she paid attention to the talk between Ryujin and Lia. And noticed even more that Lia had not corrected Ryujin once when the girl said this was a date.


	3. Clean

"Don't get out of here, I'm going to the market really quick” Lia said as she walked away, Yeji just smiled at her.

They were on their way to the next place, which unfortunately was on the other side of town, so they would have a long way to go. Yeji had to stop at a gas station, Lia asked her to buy a bottle of water, but Yeji slid money in her direction telling her to go to the market across the street, since that gas station was known for their products a bit suspicious.

Lia tried to deny the money, it was much more than a bottle of water worth, but Yeji pretended not to see her as she got out of the car, ensuring she had no problem. Her grandmother had sent her extra money for the prom, and since she was no longer going to one she saw no problem spending it.

Lia was trying to think of the best way to pay the girl for everything she had that night.

The market still gave a perfect view of Yeji, not that she thought she would leave her behind, it was just that she found herself staring hard at her after leaving the dance. It's not like she didn’t noticed how beautiful Yeji had been since they first met, it was just that she had seen something different, actually felt something different while dancing, Yeji looked like the most beautiful person she ever seen after that.

She grabbed a few bottles of water while still in sight of the gas station, when she was moving to get some packets of snacks the station was getting away, when she had already lost her full vision she even thought of going back and forgetting the snacks, but something had caught her attention, better someone.

There was a group of people at the end of the market, they spoke a little loudly, had even caught her attention for a few seconds when she entered, but she hadn't paid much attention to who they were before. It was just a five-second look at the group for her to recognize the first face, she couldn't possibly forget who he was, her boyfriend, or ex, she still wasn't sure which option she should go to, talking to a group of five more people, she recognized them all, his friends for sure.

Lia remembered the times she had to go out with them too, it wasn't as if they were bad people, but neither were people she made a point of being around, there were countless times she went away from her boyfriend's group of friends to go talk to your own friends. She then, for some reason, remembered someone else, Ryujin, the funny girl she had met moments before at the party, who had told her to keep in touch, she found herself comparing the two types, Lia really wanted to keep in touch with the girl while she didn't even know the last name of the people in front of her even after having living with them for years.

Her boyfriend seemed to recognize her too, walking toward her, his hands shoved in his pocket and a smile on his face as if nothing had happened in the last few hours.

"Good to see you, Lia," he said, she really wanted to throw the water bottles at his head.

“Dakho, is that all you have to say? Do you know what you did or just be faking madness?

"Come on, I thought everything was clear."

"Clear? We had arranged for months, but still chose to leave me alone that, ”Lia stopped to take a deep breath, had already shed too many tears because of one person“ I noticed, I can't deny that I noticed you drifted away…”.

"If you noticed, why didn't you do anything?"

She had thought of that before, a few days earlier in her room, while looking at the red dress that hung behind the door. She didn't like the idea of breaking up, but she understood that this was one with an expiration date.

“Lia? Is there a problem?” A voice drove her out of her thought bubble, she glanced back to see Yeji at the end of the hall.

Lia felt as if she could breathe again seeing the girl standing there, a worried expression on her face as she divided her gaze between the two. She walked over to the girl, had not realized how nervous she was until a hand came to her arm, squeezing gently just to get her attention.

"I'll pay for it while you talk," Yeji took the lead as she took things in the girl's hands, she knew Lia needed some encouragement to continue with that "it's fine, I'll be right there, if anything happen just say my name”.

Lia agreed, but didn't move as the girl walked away from her. Yeji grabbed a few more things from a shelf near her, glancing at the boy, who was looking curiously at them, and then at Lia, making sure she was right there.

"I don't know her" The boy commented when Yeji was already far enough away, but Lia was still looking at the way she had gone.

Lia stayed a few more seconds looking there before turning and walking toward the boy. She didn't know how to explain what was happening tonight, didn't know how she could explain who Yeji was or how the girl made her feel almost inexplicably. She was glad she didn't owe anwers to the boy.

She took a deep breath, wondering what she should do at that moment. So she just continued the train of thought she was having before: put it all out at once.

“Did you love me? I mean, all this time you must have loved me, we wouldn't have been together for all these months if it hadn't happened, I just wondered how intense it was” Lia was quite surprised that her voice came out as firm as it was then.

She had rehearsed it, the way she would ask something like that.

“I still love you, Lia, and I loved you like I never loved anyone, it's just…” Dahko this time was the one who needed to pause, closed his eyes and toke a deep breath “It's just that things didn't go the way I wanted, I think the feeling I had was slowly fading, I don't know how to explain it, but I still love you”.

"I loved you, but everything was just a passing thing, I confused what I felt, I confused the intensity of things, I only discovered that mistake when you pulled away, when I could focus on myself and not on someone else," Dahko tried Taking her hand, which made Lia step back, she tried to control the urge to go looking for Yeji, her nearest comfort spot "you figure things out easier and faster when you're alone".

"Lia, I am...".

“It's alright, you broke my heart, because I expected someone I loved to stay by my side, when I was at my lowest point everything hit me, I loved you, but I didn't love you enough to make an effort to have by my side, I didn't love you so much that I couldn't see my future without you”.

Lia knew the weight of the words coming out of her mouth, was seeing the effect of them in front of her, with the teary-eyed boy who didn't know what to do next. But she had to do it, for herself, and even for him.

“So you never really loved me?” He asked, still a little shaken by the words that hit him.

"I loved you, I just didn't love you with all my heart, I didn't love you enough to fight for you".

"I loved, I still love you and I think I'll love you longer, maybe I need some time with myself to move on just like you did".

"Love me? So what's your excuse for letting me go?”.

"I didn't know what to do, the idea of losing you because of the distance broke my heart, I was a coward and I chose the stupidest decision of all, and now it seems that I lost you for good" He ran a hand through his hair Looking back at his friends, only a few of them paid discreet attention to their conversation.

“I think we already said everything we had to say".

"Wait, let me redeem the night, I know a second chance is asking too much, but at least let me improve your night".

Lia didn't need that, her night had been a lot better without him, even though she missed her precious prom, got into a stranger's car, and the intensity of the fellings she was going through. She hated the beginning, but it is loving the end.

"I'm not having a bad night, Dahko".

She was ready to say her last goodbye, but Dahko's friend was faster.

With uncertain steps and a bottle in his hand he approached them. He smelled like alcohol just like the place she had just gone to dance before, but this time was different, she didn't have the scent or warmth of Yeji near her.

“Come on, Lia, we're having fun, come with us” His words were even more uncertain than his steps, slowly coming with a breath of alcohol along.

His fingers gripped her wrist as she tried to keep walking away. She doesn't know how things climbed after that, but it wasn't long before she had any hands holding her and a person was blocking her view of what was going on. After she could hear the voices, they were loud and seemed angry, then she recognized the person in front of her, Yeji, and she seemed to be in the middle of a heated discussion with Dahko's friends.

"Let's go" Lia came around and tried to push her out of the market but was not having much success "Yeji".

This seemed to wake the girl who had let herself begin dragged out of the market. Lia only let her go when Yeji was in the car with the door closed, when she was ready to turn around and get in the passenger someone called her, she turned to see a Dahko running over to her.

"Lia ..."

"Dahko, I think you understand everything I meant today, I hope you have a good life, good luck in college I know you really wanted that and I’m proud of you".

She didn't give him time to say anything, just got in the car. Yeji didn't give much time either and has already accelerated away.

The car's silence was uncomfortable, Lia didn't know how to break it, and Yeji didn't seem to want to take the first step, her fingers so tight on the steering wheel that they were even white. Lia didn't like it at all, she liked the smiling Yeji, who liked to make her smile as much as she did.

"Yeji..." Lia tried, the girl at the wheel just shifted as a sign that she was listening. "I don't know what happened inside, I mean, I kind of blacked out for a few seconds".

“You said my name, I had rushed the things to the car, but when I came back I made a point of being a little closer, so I heard you calling my name very low, for a second I had thought it was something my head, but I went to check the same way, I pushed him to the ground, glad he was too drunk to want to get up, he was twice my size”.

"So you argued with the others?"

"Yeah, but your boyfriend kept them from getting any closer".

"Ex boyfriend".

Silence came again, Lia could still see the tense driver beside her, maybe the whole situation had made her nervous.

"So... Every time I say your name will you show up or is it just worth it for today?" Lia asked, she was glad that in response she got a smile "Yeji...".

"I'm sorry, I think I spoiled your chance for reconciliation, if I didn't meet you there you wouldn't be feeling obligated to be with me, you could be with him now".

“Do you really think I would go with him? Didn't you hear the conversation? We broke up, for the sake of both of us, put an end to everything, this is what I need, and I really think my night is better with you than it could be with him”.

Yeji was silent again, but seemed to relax after understanding everything she was told, her shoulders relaxing and her fingers loosening the steering wheel. Lia stretched until she could touch Yeji's arm, squeezing warmly, this time Yeji smiled.

"Yeji...".

"Will you keep saying my name the rest of the night?".

"If that means I'll get your attention as a result, then yes".

Yeji meant she didn't need this to get her attention.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the delay to post, my microsoft word is strange, every time I saved one day the next there was nothing.
> 
> i'm working on a cover
> 
> Anyway, two points:
> 
> *Dahko is just a random name.
> 
> **I don't know if Dahko/Lia's conversation got a little confusing or a little heavy, but sometimes you have to have a heavier conversation because loving can be difficult.


	4. Near future

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Last.

There were too many things Lia was unlearning about herself that night, such as, for example, disobeying her mother's rule to not talk to strangers; or learning that breakups weren't always the worst thing in the world.

Maybe she should see as if she wasn’t unlearned things about herself, but seen from another perspective. And she was grateful for that, that she could see other things, like the girl beside her looked prettier than the landscape around her.

"What time do you have to go home?" Yeji asked as she was sure the blanket covered both of them.

They were in a garden halfway up a hill between the river and the stars. Lia had never heard of it, but there was so much she hadn’t heard about in that city, that it made her think that she might not know the city itself.

"Is this the moment you put your plan to kill me to work?"

There was a furry pink blanket over them, one that Yeji had searched for a good eight minutes in the car until she found it. Lia even joked if she could get lost in a bigger place than that truck, Yeji appeared seconds later with pink cheeks and blanket in her arms, Lia could even stretch and place a kiss on her cheek for being so cute.

"It would be a terrible plan, I would be the first suspect, I'm sure your ex would be delighted to testify against me after almost fighting with him".

"Would you really fight him?".

Yeji's hand was deposited near the open package near them, she had to control herself to not make her plans happen about it. The first would be to be direct, to hold the girl's hand at once; the second would be accidental, as a coincidence that her fingers touched the girl's as she went to the chips packet; or that she just put her hand closer and hoped the girl knew what she was up to.

Lia didn't do any of these things, she was sure she would combust if she really did.

"Sure, and then you would have to take me to the hospital".

"I wouldn't let them hurt you".

“I can say the same, that is why I almost fought with them”.

The pickup truck smelled like candy thanks to the remaining boxes, a delivery for a small grocery store near Yeji's house, which she always left last in the deliveries. Lia was sure she would be scolded for not delivering, even if the girl had said it was okay.

"I should have met you before, we could have gone to the prom together" Lia commented looking at the girl beside her, whose eyes were fixed on the stars.

“And what would I have to wear? I've never found prom dresses so pretty, yours is actually an expectation, but the suits are really boring”.

"You could wear whatever you wanted," Lia laughed. "I just wish I had come with you, I'd accept it even if you were in your pajamas"

"No, you deserve more, I'd even wear one of those tacky dresses".

Lia really wanted to hold Yeji's hand, this time because she also wanted to make the girl look at her.

“One that at least matches mine, please” Lia looked at the stars as well, wondering what was so special about her to attract Yeji so much.

"Of course, I'd give you a bouquet that also matched your dress".

“Would I have photos before? I think my mom would like it better than the pictures of me alone she took today”.

"Sure, we'd even have your slow dance".

"We had my slow dance".

Yeji didn't answer after that, Lia let the silence fall between them. The silence was filled with action, with Yeji taking the lead and closing the gap between them, moving closer until their shoulders touched, and taking her hand to her.

Lia was really right, she was almost on fire with the contact.

"Don't talk to strangers anymore, okay?" Yeji commented as she played with Lia's fingers.

"Then I can't talk to you anymore".

“We're not strangers anymore,” Lia could feel Yeji's eyes on her as she said that, but when she turned her attention to her, Yeji broke contact and returned to the stars again. “I just want you to be safe, not everyone just wants you to have a good night”.

“Not everyone is a pretty girl trying to save my prom and last high school memory” Lia smiled to herself when she saw a pinky tone appear on the girl's cheek, matching her own.

"Right".

Lia gathered all the risks of combustion inside herself and took the risk, reaching to place a long kiss on her cheek before returning to her seat, this time closer as she rested her head on her shoulder.

Yeji was special, it only took a few hours that night for Lia to realize that. It was as if it was easy to think of a future with her, not that she wanted to think of something in the distant future or something, she just thought it would be staying with her until sunrise, so they would have breakfast together, maybe meet the next day, and as many days as they can until Lia's classes started in college, maybe they could meet after too. Yeji made things look easy, made her want a future, not far, but enough.

“If you were standing near a cliff would you jump?” Yeji looked confused at Lia when she asked this “I'm not saying anything with a bad connotation like you're thinking, I say, people always see a cliff as something bad, as if you were on it tip ready to fall, but I read somewhere that a man who jumped off a cliff, with an obvious parachute, felt a sense of rebirth, that adrenaline made him see life in a different way”.

"Are you referring figuratively?"

“That if you had on a cliff would you jump? If you had to do something that would change your life completely, would you?”

"I mean, it depends, what would take me tothat cliff?"

"I don’t know".

“What made you go to the cliff? What made you jump out of it?”

"The changes from high school to college, I enjoyed changing, I mean, I like the changes now, you kind of changed my mind about it".

"I did? Did I push you off the cliff then?”.

"No, you pulled my parachute," Lia squeezed the girl's hand just to know if she was right there and it wasn't just in her head “I didn't want to let go of things in a way, i depended on my dating to see things, an opposite version of rose colored glass, I joined a good college, not the one I wanted, but it's still a good college” .

"And you can save money studying in another state, so you can focus on what college students do, whatever that is".

"You really don't think about going to college?".

"I don't think so, college isn't for everyone, but I still think it would be nice to have certain experiences?".

"I can share mine with you, you can spend the nights studying with me, in return I take you to college parties, but I think your parties can be better, even if they are in places with a different smell".

"Is this an invitation to stay or a warning that this will happen?".

Lia didn't know what to do with it, just answer with silent, this time she was the one who searched for the stars for protection against her expected shyness. Yeji just chuckled, kissing the girl's hair, Lia didn't know if the girl knew what she was doing, and if it was all purposeful, and she knew very well that it made her burn inside.

“I'd like to stay, if that's the case,” Yeji squeezed Lia's hand to look at her “and what time do I have to take you home? I don't want them to think anything bad happened to you”.

“It's okay, I don't know if my mom expects anything from me today, maybe she expects me to get home early, but any minute I pass away is one more reason for her to think I'm having a good night, I am, it's just for a different reason. ”

“I like to be your different reason” Yeji's voice was a whisper, but once again Lia's heart skipped a beat in her chest.

Lia didn't answer, she liked the sensations she was having at that moment, how Yeji's icy fingers started to get warm as she played with them, how the girl made her blush so easily, how Yeji's scent filled her sense all the way, how the girl took all night to be on her side. Yeji, the stranger, the delivery girl, the savior, the girl with a beautiful smile, was really special.

“What did you have to do today? I have a slight impression that there were things you should do, you even skipped a delivery” Lia asked.

"Okay, I really would have a bit of a tumultuous night, I'd have the delivery, and then I would have to help renovate my neighbor's apartment."

"At night?".

“If I do it at night, I wouldn't have to do it by day, which would give me enough time to sleep late, and it was no big deal, just a painting in the room and Chaeryeong yelling at me as I drag the same furniture in different positions until everything is almost the same as the beginning”.

"And she won't mind that I stole your night?.

“She will, but she can survive, I think I'd rather spend my night making you embarrassed than painting her living room, but I might have to buy her extra ice cream to handle her screaming”.

"So did you know?"

"How to make you embarrassed? Yeah, it wasn't too hard to find out, I like your pink cheeks."

"I knew it".

Lia rolled her eyes and slapped the girl's arm, but couldn't control the smile on her face when she got a laugh in response. Of course the girl knew what she was doing all night, but Lia couldn't blame her, she also liked the methods the girl was using to make it happen.

So she went quiet with the same smile on her face for a few minutes. Her eyes focused on the fingers intertwined in her lap while Yeji's focused on the stars.

On the way back, they talked about Lia's college, with Yeji promising to take her somewhere cheap enough for a college girl. Or about how Lia would pay that night, which would give her one night to make up for the prom Yeji never wanted to go to.

They were making plans for a future, not for a distant future, but for a near future, because all Yeji and pre-Yeji situations made her realize that she didn't need to think about a distant future, much less make a distant future revolve around a person other than her. Even if deep down she really wanted the girl to be present until her distant future.

when they stopped in front of Lia's house before she could say anything she was already out of the car.

"Maybe I could help you tomorrow." Lia made a point of dictating a slow pace to her door.

"Volunteering to hear Chaeryeong's screams tomorrow?"

"I was thinking of taking the ice cream and seeing her screaming at you, I accept any situation so I can see you later."

Yeji smiled at her as she shoved her hands into her coat pocket, Lia enjoyed the situation, seeing the dull girl and her taking the lead. She liked how Yeji smiled at her, showing that she also liked the idea.

"I'll walk you to the door like the good prom date I am" Yeji said as they stopped in front of Lia's house, before she could say anything she was already out of the car.

"Maybe I could help you tomorrow" Lia made a point of dictating a slow pace to her door.

"Volunteering to hear Chaeryeong's screams tomorrow?"

"I was thinking of taking the ice cream and seeing her screaming at you, I accept any situation so I can see you later."

Yeji smiled at her as she shoved her hands into her coat pocket, Lia enjoyed the situation, seeing the girl shy and her taking the lead. She liked how Yeji smiled at her, showing that she also liked the idea.

"Maybe a prom you never wanted" Lia stepped forward as they reached the door.

Close, so close it made Lia want more, just needed one more step, but she stayed in one place, her feet firm on the floor and her eyes firm on the girl.

“A prom I never wanted? Sounds like a good idea, should I bring the bouquet and come with a dress too expensive for one night?

"Just bring you, that's enough, you have my number, just text me the time for our date”.

Lia turned to enter, but first came back and gave Lia a quick kiss on her lips. She was right, it was wonderful to have the sensations Yeji made her feel, all the combustion inside her with just one touch, but it was also wonderful to cause the same sensations at her.

Like at that moment with Yeji red and her mouth opened in surprise as she watched her enter the house.

Yeji is special.


End file.
